The first storm of the winter arrived this week. Some parts of the UK suffered more than others. Here the weather was blustery and gusty for a few days but only minor damage occurred. Here’s my contribution to the Six On Saturday meme:
One
Pride before the fall and fall the persimmons did. Two branches came down, both heavily laden with fruit. They broke from the inside so nature has done a good job of opening up the tree.
Two
No sooner had the delphiniums put up their second flush of flower stems than the storm arrived. Of course I hadn’t got round to tying in the tops but the ties at the bottom seem to have helped steady the stems enough to keep them safe.
Three
The stately cosmos that was just opening out its flowers was not so lucky. I had tried to push a cane into the ground but there was no give at all. The plant snapped off at the bottom. All was not lost as I cut back the side stems and brought them inside to fill a vase.
Four
The fruits of the passion flower are ripening and providing a focal point over the top of an arch. These is the more common Passiflora caerulea and although the fruits are edible when very ripe I prefer to leave them be.
Five
There is a paragraph in the participant’s guide that encourages mention of gardening projects and time this week has been spent preparing the ground for some new plants. It’s not a very exciting photo so here’s a link to the planting that inspired me: Nice (no 3) I was very taken by the combination of gaura and pennisetum, and I am going to try it out on a smaller scale here. Gaura ‘Whirling Butterflies’ and Pennisetum villosum have been ordered and two corners have been cleared awaiting their imminent arrival. Both should be shorter and smaller varieties of the original planting.
Six
Indeed the doorbell rang a moment ago and although it was not the aforementioned plants I was excited to receive the first of the bulb orders. Excited on two counts: Yes! I had my six for the week (it was touch and go) and I could cross Colchicum speciosum Album off of the wish list. I hope they are going to like the space I have ready for them. Fingers crossed that it is sunny enough.
n20gardener 
Two storms in quick succession here (Helene and Ali) but, thankfully, no damage done. You are a very rare type of gardener! The one who has somewhere to plant the plants before they arrive. Perhaps you should see your doctor about this. 😉
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That’s the advantage of restocking an old garden! I think I have a few years to go before it’s really full.
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Will the persimmons ripen off the tree? And, my goodness, those passionfruits are a gorgeous peachy orange.
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On the tree the persimmons don’t ripen here until November/December so I don’t think so but I did keep a few just in case!
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I think that persimmons won’t survive and ripe outside the tree, but as for your passion fruit, their color is so orange that it makes me think they are ripe. Sacrifice one to taste? Once the color has turned orange, you can eat them. They won’t ill not be as tasty as the real species but they are edible. (Not too much for your gut …) (PS: I can’t wait to see the colchicum in bloom … a future Six, certainly.)
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I did eat a few passion fruits last year, they are small and taste ok but I prefer to see them in the garden!
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Sorry to hear about the wind damage. We didn’t fair too badly at all here. That passion flower is a show. Neither of ours have flowered this year after they were removed from troughs and out into the ground. They rarely produced fruit like yours. Envious!
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The passion fruit came with the garden and I didn’t know anything about growing them. I’m sure yours will be happier in the ground so fingers crossed for flowers next year.
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Delphiniums in September! and the Passion Fruit photo is gorgeous: a real prize-winner.
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I cut them back as soon as they had finished flowering so it was lovely to see them flower again.
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I was also impressed with your clear and ready space! Sounds like you’ve made the best of your storm damage.
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Some of my Cosmos have suffered the same fate sadly. About a third of them have grown to a huge size with buds only just beginning to show colour. I was so excited that they were finally going to flower and now they’re in the compost bin.
How exciting to have a new project. Look forward to seeing it in a future Six
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Happened to me last year with the cosmos, but I just couldn’t get a cane in the ground! The buds do open a bit once inside.
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Oh, you got bulbs too! Someone else just showed off bags of bulbs. The bags are not much to look at, but we all know what they entail!
Your passion fruit looks rad! Rodents typically get ours.
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So far the passion fruit is about the only fruit in the garden not troubled by pests!
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Oh, that does not sound good. I do not grow it just because it is not productive here. It does not seem to be be bothered by much. It just does not make fruit.
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I’ve never seen a passion fruit that colour and it’s gorgeous! What a shame that the ‘natural pruning’ didn’t happen a bit later when the persimmons were ripe.
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You have reminded me to get bulbs buying…….sorry to see your damage. X
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Ah a bit of bare earth. So pregnant with possibility! Look forward to seeing it planted up.
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I always eat my passion fruit, but you’ve made me rethink that. The wildlife will thank you if I follow suit (altho my neighbour has a passion flower growing up his tree & dangling w/fruit, so the wildlife here haven’t missed anything). Love your verbena bananarama (as Mr P calls it) w/the delphenium. I’m beginning to think it looks good w/just about everything. Sorry you had so much wind damage, but sounds like you’re putting a positive spin on it. I’ve never brought cosmos into the house, so there’s another new idea. Good luck w/your new bed. I like the combo you’ve chosen.
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The vb came with me from the old house in several pots and I used it to get the garden going. It has such long lasting colour and it seeded itself everywhere in the new garden. I think it does go with everything but as I’m getting the new garden restocked I will have to rein it in. The goldfinches love the seeds too.
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I don’t usually let mine go to see, but knowing the goldfinch love it . . . o my, what a decision.
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